Logging and indicating device for radio tuning instruments



March s, 1928.

J. P. COUGHLIN LOGGING AND INDICATING DEVICE FOR RADIO TUNING INSTRUMENTS 2 Shets-Sheet 2 Filed July 10, 1925 Patented Mar. 6, 1928.

UNITED STATES JAMES P. COUGHLIN, OI KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

LOGGING AND INDICATING DEVICE FOR RADIO TUNING INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed July 10, 1925.

This invention relates toan improved logging and indicating device for radio tuning instruments and seeks, amon other objects, to provide a device of this 0 aracter which will eliminate the existing necessity of tediously adjusting the tuning instrument or instruments of a receiving set each time it is desired to tune in a particular sending station.

The invention seeks, as a further object, to provide a device wherein, after the tuning instrument of a receiving set has been adjusted to tune the set to the wave length of any given sending station, the wave length of the station as well as the call letters of the station may be readily logged upon the chart of the device so that the receiving set may be quickly tuned subsequently to the same station by adjusting the tuning instrument until the finders of the device are brought into position at the log notations of the chart.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a device wherein the finders will be operable in unison with the tuning instrument.

And the invention seeks, as a still further object, to provide a device which may be readily employed in connection with conventional receiving sets and which may be readily attached.

Other objects of the invention not above specially mentioned will appear as the description proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a front elevation showing my improved log ing andindicating device in connection wit a conventional receiving set.

Fi hrs 2 is a horizontal sectional view on the hue 22 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows, and particularl showing the mounting of the pinion of the evice.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction indicated by the arrows. Y

Figure 4 is a plan view showing the I mounting of the rack member employed.

Figure 5 is a detail cross sectional view particularly showing the mounting of the finders.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view showin one of the chart cards.

eferrin now more particularly to the drawings, have shown the present inven- Serial No. 42,796.

tion in connection with a conventional radio receiving set embodying the usual cabinet 10 to which is fixed a front anel 11 of suitable insulating material. The logging and indicating device is employed in connection with the tuning instrument of the set and I have typically shown such an instrument at 12. An ordinary variable condenser is illustrated but it is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to use with variable condensers but may be employed in connection with radio tunin instruments generally. The condenser is %xed to the panel 11 in any suitable manner and the tuning shaft of the condenser, which shaft carries the usual movable pla s, is indicated at 13. As is customary, this shaft is freely accommodated through asuitable openings in the panel and projects at its outer end at the forward side of the panel.

Coming now more particularly to the subject of the resent invention, I employ an oblong vertically dis osed base plate 14 which is positioned at against the panel 11 at its forward side-and is secured at itsends to the panel by bolts or other suitable fastening devices 15. The base plate is preferably of suitable insulating material, and formed in said plate medially thereof, as

shown in Figure 4, is a relativel wide longitudinally extending slot 16. e shaft 13 of the condenser 12 projects through this slot at a point midway between the ends thereof and slidably fittin in said slot is a rectangular rack member 1 one of the side bars of which is rovided with rack teeth 18. Rising from the end bars of said member are alined u per and lower lugs 19.

Overlying the hase plate 14 is a front plate 20 retaining the rack member 17 in the slot member. At a point midway between the ends of the slot 21, the front late is, as shown in Fi re 1, provided wi a circular opening 22, and struck from said plate to extend laterally at oppositesides of the slot 16 of the base plate. The front plate is are upper parallel flanges 23 and similar lower parallel flanges 24. Slidaby fitting between the flan s 23 are removable chart cards 25 and slidably fittin between the flanges 24 are similar remova 1e chart cards 26. These cards may be of any approved material and, in Figure 6, I have shown a typical card in detall.

Fixed to the uppermost of the lugs 19 of the rack member 17 is an oblong loop-shaped finder 27 and fixed to the lowermost of said lugs is a similar finder 28. These linders are rovided medially with-webs 29 and extending through said webs are screws 30 screwed into the lugs 1.) for rigidly connecting the finders thereto. The finders are of a length to extend transversely from edge to edge of the front plate 20 and are supported by the lugs 19 to closelyoverlie the chart cards 25 and 26. As shown in Figure 1, the left hand chart card 26 is provided at its inner vertical margin with a scale 31 calibrated in terms of degrees, and extending from the web 29 of the lower finder 28 is a pointer 32 to cooperate with said scale.

Fixed to the outer end of the shaft 13 of the condenser 12 is an insulating knob 33 having a sleeve 34 fitting over the shaft and surrounding said sleeve to coact with the rack teeth 18 of the member 17 is a pinion 35 having a hub sleeve 36 removably fitting over the inner end of the sleeve 34. Extending through both sleeves is a set screw 37 engaging the shaft 13 for rigidly connecting the knob and pinion thereto and, as will be observed, the opening 22 in the front plate 20 is of a diameter to freely receive the pinion so that the pinion may be initially inserted over the outer end of the shaft through said opening to engage the rack teeth 18, when the knob 33 may be applied to the shaft. Preferably, the parts are so assembled that when the movable plates of the condenser 12 are nested between the fixed plates thereof, the finders 27 and 28 stand at the lower ends of the cards 25 and 26.

As will now be seen in view of the foreoing, as the knob 33 is turned in either one irection or the other, for varying the capacity of the condenser 12 and tuning the receiving set to the wave length of a given station, the pointers 27 and 28 will be caused to travel up or down, as the case may be, in front of the chart cards 25 and 26. Accordingly, when the set is tuned to the wave length of the station, said wave length may be written upon one of the cards 25 between the side bars of the finder 27, as typically indicated at 38, while the call letters of the station may be written upon one of the cards 26 between the side bars of the finder 28, as typically indicated at 39. As the condenser is operated to tune the set to other sending stations, such stations may, in llke manner, be logged upon the cards 25 and 26, as further suggested in Figure 1,

so that the set may be subsequently tuned to any one of said stations, as for instance the station logged at 38 and 39, simply by turning the knob 33 until the pointer 27 1S brought to a position over the wave length of said station, when the pointer 28 will, of course, occupy a position over the call letters of the station. I preferably provide a pair of the pointers in order that the wave len th as well as the call letters of each statlon may be logged. Furthermore, it is often found possible to log the call letters of a station and not the wave length thcrcol, or vice versa, and by providing a pair of the pointers, either the wave length or the call letters of a station may be logged in any such instance. Removable chart cards are employed in order that said cards may be readily renewed should occasion demand, and further, in order that clean cards may be readily substituted for cards which may have become soiled. The scale 31 corresponds to the scale of an ordinary dial as now in common use so that, if desired, readings on the scale, as indicated by the pointer 32, may be logged in a separate log book in accordance with customary practice.

Having thus described the invention, what I claim is:

1. Logging and indicating means for radio receivers, the same comprising a panel mount including a base plate formed with a longitudinal slot, a slide member movable in said slot, a cover plate attached to the base plate and bearing independent groups of indicating means designating wave lengths and stations, respectively, a finder for each group of indicating means connected to the slide member to move therewith, and a rotary tuning element extending through the base and covering plates and geared to the slide member.

2. Logging and indicating means for radio receivers, the same comprising a panel mount including a base plate formed with a longitudinal slot, a slide member movable in said slot and provided at its ends with lugs, a cover plate attached to the base plate and formed with a slot to receive the lugs of the slide member, and provided with independent gronps of indicating means designating wave lengths and stations, respectively, a finder for each group of indicating means connected to a lug of the slide member and overlying the cover plate. and a rotary tuning element passing through the slide member and the base and cover plates and geared to said slide member.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signa ture.

JAMES P. COUGHLIN. [1,. s 

